Interchangeable badge assembly

ABSTRACT

AN INTERCHANGEABLE BADGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SHEETLIKE BADGE DISPLAY MEMBER AND A HOLDER THEREFOR WHICH FORMS A FRAME FOR THE DISPLAY MEMBER, THE HOLDER BEING CONSTRUCTED TO RECEIVE THE DISPLAY MEMBER WITH THE LATTER BEING RETAINED IN ASSEMBLED RELATION THEREWITH BY A PIN STRUCTURE HAVING A PIN PORTION WITH A POINTED END AND A MOUNTING PORTION CONSTRUCTED TO BE ENGAGED WITH THE HOLDER AND OVERLIE AND ENGAGE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF THE DISPLAY MEMBER, AND THEREBY RETAIN THE LATTER AND SAID HOLDER IN ASSEMBLED RELATION.

Jan'- 197.1 F JJSITZBERGER INTERCHANGEABLEYBADGE ASSEMBLY Filed Nov; 29. 1968 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,557,478 INTERCHANGEABLE BADGE ASSEMBLY Frank J. Sitzberger, Oak Brook, 11]., assignor to Adcraft Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 779,775 Int. Cl. A44c 3/02 US. Cl. 401.5 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An interchangeable badge assembly comprising a sheetlike badge display member and a holder therefor which forms a frame for the display member, the holder being constructed to receive the display member with the latter being retained in assembled relation therewith by a pin structure having a pin portion with a pointed end and a mounting portion constructed to be engaged with the holder and overlie and engage peripheral portions of the display member, and thereby retain the latter and said holder in assembled relation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to badges of the type heretofore employing a disk-like badge body to which a wire pin structure was affixed, the usual construction employing a unitary body having a peripheral rearwardly extending rim, the inner surface of which was of concave cross-section, and a pin structure comprising a pin portion with a pointed end and a mounting portion connected to the opposite end of the pin portion, the pin structure being formed from resilient wire stock and having the mounting portion resiliently engaged with the concave rim.

In this badge construction, which has been employed for many years, the display media was directly imprinted or applied to the outer face of the badge as a coating or layer thereon, and the badge subsequently provided with the pin structure. The badge thus served the single purpose associated with the permanent display media thereon and once having served such purpose was of no further primary value.

The present invention utilizes a construction in which the display media is disposed on a sheet-like display member which is adapted tobe received and supported in a frame-like holder which also carries the mounting pin structure, the latter also functioning to retain the display member and holder in assembled relation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, the badge is constructed as an assembly with the display media disposed upon a display member, formed for example from sheet material such as heavy paper or light board stock, plastic, metal, or other suitable material, which is adapted to be received in a rigid holder formed of metal or other suitable material, of generally annular configuration and of a size to receive the display member whereby the holder, in effect, forms a frame for the display member. The holder is provided with a rearwardly extending rim portion, the inner face of which is concave in transverse cross-section, and is adapted to receive and retain a pin structure having a pointed free end and connected at its other end to a resilient mounting portion which is disposed at the inner face of the rim portion and resiliently engages the latter. The display member is adapted to be disposed with the peripheral edge portion of the front face thereof in engagement with the rear face of the holder and clamped in such position by engagement of the mounting portion of the pin structure with the rear face of the display member. In accordance with another feature of the invention, the mounting portion of the pin struc- 'ice ture is provided at spaced points with a plurality of spaced radially inwardly extending projections which overlie the rear face of the display member toprovide additional means for retaining the latter and the holder in assembled relation.

The invention thus permits complete freedom of interchangeability of display members and thereby opens a completely new field in which, for example, a badge holder may be packaged with a plurality of display members and the user afforded the opportunity of making a selection with respect to the display member to be utilized.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the display member may be provided with one or more openings therein which are cooperable with a supplemental display member superimposed on the rear face of the primary display member whereby the ultimate display may consist of the combination of a plurality of display members, thereby providing a relatively large number of display possibilities with merely a limited number of dis play members.

The invention is applicable to badge assemblies utilizing standard types of pin structures, with or without a safety or protective clasp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a badge assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the use of a plurality of display members in combination, and employing a different form of pin structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, the badge assembly illustrated comprises a display member indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, a holder therefor indicated generally by the reference numeral 2, and a pin structure indicated generally by the reference numeral 3. The display member 1 is illustrated as being of generally circular configuration and provided with suitable display media 4 on the upper or front face thereof. The display member may be fabricated from any suitable material as, for example, light cardboard, plastic, metal, etc., and may be either flat or slightly convex, corresponding generally to convex faces of prior types of badges.

The display member 1 is positioned in the holder 2 which is of annular shape and of the same peripheral configuration as the display member 1, i.e. circular in the example illustrated, with the holder 2 having a ring-shaped front wall 5 which overlies the adjacent peripheral edge portions of the display member 1. The holder is provided with a rearwardly extending rim 6, integrally formed with the outer edge of the wall '5 provided with an inner surface which is concave in transverse cross-section, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

The pin structure 3 is provided with a pin portion 7, the free end of which terminates in a point 8, and the opposite end of which is connected to a generally annular shaped mounting portion 9, the latter in the embodiment illustrated extending substantially completely around the inner face of the rim '6. The pin structure 3 may be made of resilient wire stock and formed with a diameter which, in its unconnected state, is greater than the corresponding diameter of the rim 6 whereby the mounting portion must be contracted to permit engagement with such rim and following release expansion of the mounting portion will result in its firm engagement with the inner surface of the rim.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting portion 9 is provided with a more or less U- shaped portion 11 extending generally outwardly from the rear face of the assembly and also radially inwardly toward the axis of generation of the holder into proximity to the pointed end 8 of the pin portion 7, whereby the portion 11 may form a safety clasp therefor.

The mounting portion 9, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is also provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending projections 12 and 13 which are disposed substantially in a common plane and adapted to engage the rear face of the display member 1, providing additional means for insuring retention of the display member in operative position in the holder 2. The projections 12 being formed intermediate the end of the mounting portion, are of a generally U-shaped configuration, while projection 13 is formed at the free end of the mounting portion by making a right angle bend therein.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 may employ the same holder 2 as well as the same pin structure. However, for the purposes of illustration, a pin structure of the open" type is illustrated, which does not employ a safety clasp, the pointed end of the pin extending over and normally engaging the rear edge of the rim 6. The mounting portion 9, with the omission of the clasp 11, is constructed substantially identical with that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pin portion 8, however, being slightly increased in length.

This embodiment illustrates the use of a plurality of display members, the display member 1a corresponding to the display member 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and the display member 1b comprising a supplemental display adapted to be visible through one or more openings 14 in the primary display member 1a. Such display members, as illustrated, may be of the same overall size and shape. In this construction, the mounting portion 9 of the pin structure, including the projections 12 and 13, is engageable with the exposed face of the supplemental display member 1a to effect a clamping of the primary display member 1b between the supplemental display member and the adjacent face of the wall of the holder.

It will be appreciated that in the construction illustrated in FIG. 3 an extremely wide variety of display combinations are possible with merely several display members and it will be apparent that the supplemental display member may be provided with a plurality of display elements, any one of which may be disposed within a suitably positioned opening in the primary display member. The present invention thus readily lends itself to the production of a badge kit or the like containing a plurality of display members, if desired primary and supplemental display members, together with one or more holders and pin structures whereby one or more badges may be assembled with any desired display member or combination of display members.

The present invention, therefore, substantially opens an entire new field for the use of badges, i.e. in the home, at parties, and at other events where it otherwise would not be practical, due to the necessity or desirability of utilizing a relatively small quantity of badges with different display material thereon under conditions where the cost of prior badges would become prohibitive.

While I have referred to a holder structure of annular or ring-like configuration, such terms are intended to encompass configurations other than circular in which the holder forms a frame for the display member.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given, that various modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An interchangeable badge assembly comprising:

a sheet-like display member,

a holder for said display member of annular configuration having a front wall defining a badge-framing opening with a peripheral portion of said display member disposed behind and in engagement with said wall,

a wire pin structure having an elongated pin portion terminating at one end in a point, at the opposite end in a mounting portion,

said holder having a rim portion extending rearwardly from the outer peripheral edges of said front wall with the free rear edge of said rim portion overlying said wall and said mounting portion of said pin member, operative to retain the latter in position,

said mounting portion of said pin structure having a length to extend substantially completely around the inner periphery of said rim portion, and bent to form a plurality of peripherally spaced U-shaped radially inwardly directed portions of a length to overlie such a display member to thereby retain said display member and holder in assembled relation.

2. An interchangeable badge assembly according to claim 1, wherein said mounting portion is provided with a clasp portion extending inwardly and rearwardly with respect to said front wall, with a part of said clasp portion in engagement with said display member, said pointed end of said pin portion terminating radially inward from said rim and engageable with said clasp portion.

3. An interchangeable badge assembly according to claim 1, wherein said pin portion has a length to dispose the pointed end thereof radially outward beyond the adjacent edge of said rim portion and normally in engagement therewith.

4. An interchangeable badge assembly according to claim 1, comprising in further combination, a backing member having a peripheral size to be received in said holder with the mounting portion of said pin member engaging the backing member and the latter clamping said display member to the holder.

5. An interchangeable badge assembly according to claim 4, wherein said display member is provided with an opening therein through which a portion of the backing member is viewable, the latter forming a supplemental display member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1922 Zeller 401.5 1/1945 Bisheff 40-156X US. Cl. X.R. 40-156 

